Tarryl Clark's Magical Thinking

Two days ago, the new Granite City Crossing was christened in St. Cloud. Many luminaries were there, including Mayor (and former Minnesota state Senator) Dave Kleis, Michele Bachmann, Steve Gottwalt, and others. Some there gave speeches. For example, Congresswoman Bachmann,

...kept the focus on the "heart of Minnesota," our community, and particularly our business community. She noted the benefits of getting this bridge completed ahead of time and $15 million under budget. Jobs creation by our small businesses (you know -- the ones that make $200,000 or more and are the favorite targets of Democrats' tax increases) is essential if we want the resources to build bridges, repair roads, or anything else, including the family budget.

Democrat U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar reportedly focused on the fear factor related to the Granite City Crossing and the I-35 bridge collapse. Al Franken, Minnesota's U.S. Senator via California, was a no-show. But perhaps the most telling speaker of all was none other than St. Cloud's own state Senator Tarryl Clark, who, according to Gottwalt,

...continued her tax-and-spend theme by focusing on the massive transportation tax increases of 2008 which she claimed were essential for the bridge to be done before 2015.

Is that so, Tarryl?

That may be the source of revenue for this bridge, but the state had already planned funding to replace the bridge. Furthermore, by reprioritizing projects, MnDOT could have replaced the bridge with existing revenues. But Sen. Clark has to defend her incessant votes to raise taxes, and here was a juicy opportunity.

As is usually the case with most democrats, folks here in St. Cloud elected Tarryl Clark on her word that she was a moderate, fiscally responsible candidate. And as is invariably the case nationwide with the unfortunate aftermath of electing neo-socialist democrats, the electorate in St. Cloud no doubt have had a significant case of buyer's remorse.

Tarryl Clark, much like her fellow-travelers Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Amy Klobuchar, and Al Franken has overplayed her hand. She, like her neo-socialist counterparts at the local, state and national levels, went "all-in" on a fool's bet that Americans were ready for all-out socialism.

But in the end, and in the voter's booth, the American people hold the cards, and there is no doubt in my mind that they have lost their taste to gamble on failed socialist policies of expanding government and imploding freedoms.